They must find it difficult, those who have taken authority as the truth, rather than truth as the authority.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Obama quietly declines to nominate CIA watchdog

These aren't the droids you were looking for. He can go about his business. Move along.

Raw Story -

More than a year after the CIA's inspector general stepped down, frustrated members of Congress are urging the White House to fill the internal watchdog position that was central in uncovering abuses inside the spy agency.

"I am disturbed that it has not been filled up to this point," former CIA inspector general Fred Hitz said. "I am wondering what is going on."

News of the open post comes amidst calls from independent groups to probe the US' deadly drones in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The CIA has reportedly carried out at least 150 drone strikes in the region since 2004.

According to a Reuters estimate, drone strikes have increased under the Obama administration to two to three a week. This represents a roughly four-fold increase in attacks from during the George W. Bush administration.

UN human rights official Philip Alston recently called for an examination of the attacks, saying they may violate the laws of war.